I hope it is easy for you and ya have a place in the sun to warm your old bones !

Stay safe !

Why, thank you, ya old troop. I got lucky and got the weekend off, and avoided the VFW ham and beens shindig in favor of doing up a couple of chickens on the backyard barbie- we got the meat finished just as the drizzle began right around sundown, which let us fly the old 48-star flag most of the day, at least.

I hope your day was as pleasant, and may you see many more, ya old far fella.

I remember coming home thru Travis AFB in 1974 having to change my uniform before I was allowed off the base to go back home on leave. I felt like I was a convict.

The university musical director at our local junior college proudly tells the story of his overseas days when he and his fellow students stood on highway overpasses and threw rocks at troops on the observation platforms of troop trains en route to and from the SF Presidio.

I told him that on the train I took there, the old SF NCO in charge of us took all the armed document couriers and stationed us on the platforms to open up with our .45s if anyone threw rocks at us from the overpasses. When I happily informed the good sergeant that I had a takedown Winchester M1897 riot gun and buckshot anno in my duffel bag, he beamed and said he knew he could depend on an old 10th Group treadhead gunner. Sadly, we never got to let off a round.

When I added that interesting tidbit to the university weenies story, I thought he was going to wet himself. He knows me well enough to know that I would have fired and probably would have hit him.

I keep promising myself I'll go down to the American Legion or VFW but... I never do.

Seems so long ago we did this, but yet sometimes, like today, it's also seems like it was just yesterday. Interesting irony is my next door neighbors are Viet Namese boat people, A constant reminder from God that we did the right thing.

I live in Southern Calif. So today I mowed the lawn and thanked God for my legs and having a whole body after the things I put it through.

For sure, I ain't going to be running any 5 miles runs with full field pack. I'll leave it to the new warriors.

I/we did our part, we answered the call and we are forever a part (noticed or unnoticed) of this great country's History. It was an honor to serve and frankly I rarely talk of it to anyone. 1968 - 1969 RVN, Company H 75th Ranger Battalion

68
posted on 11/12/2007 7:41:56 PM PST
by jokar
(The Church age is the only time we will be able to Glorify God, http://www.gbible.org)

Jokar, you should go and meet these "old men" (I prefer the term "vintage heroes"). I was really uplifted and truly touched to the bottom of my heart.

I brought back memories with me, but those memories were good and they made me feel wonderful. This old Ranger was quite humbled to find these heroes. They have truly saved the world, you and I did the same, but it is just now coming to be written in history. Be proud, but be humbled in front of these men. You'll never look on a little old man with a funny hat and a satin jacket the same again.

I sat and drank coffee with these guys and listened. I heard more courage, humble courage, that I have ever heard since my father died (He was 101st, and he was D-day+1) he jumped into occupied Europe before D-day, he was in the bulge, and he marched across the Rhine, then he went to the pacific theater. But he seldom talked about it. These guys are my dad's age, had he lived that long. They are a wonderful breed, and they did save the world. Now we're losing them and it's up to me and you to carry this courage into this "modern" world, along with our service. The present generation will write their own history, in spite of the communist media in this country. They are fine men and they will win this war, and they should, but they won't, spit in the face of the left. They will be our next generation of political leaders, and they will clean this process up.

I'm done now. I hope you go down and have a beer with these guys, It's a life lifting experience.

70
posted on 11/14/2007 3:04:12 PM PST
by timydnuc
(I'll die on my feet before I'll live on my knees.)

My dad died about two years ago and was a veteran of the South Pacific campaign. He was an Army engineer,loved Doug Macarthur (should have turned him loose on the Chinese) and hated and mistrusted Japanese till the day he died. IMHO, They were evil, blood thirsty, sadistic bastards for what they did to the lands they occupied.

He had several WWII era friends that were in the American Legion. They had had some great stories and it is amazing the hardships they endured to win that war.

I love history and I ate that stuff up with a spoon.

71
posted on 11/14/2007 8:28:55 PM PST
by jokar
(The Church age is the only time we will be able to Glorify God, http://www.gbible.org)

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